Control switch or signaling unit control panel mounting arrangement

ABSTRACT

A control switch with a holder is to be provided which can simply and quickly be secured by one person to a variable-thickness fitting plate. To this end the rose (9) of the control switch has a longitudinal groove (11) and a transverse groove (12). The holder which can be fitted on the rose (9) consists of a lower casing (14), a securing ring (5) and an upper casing (23). The lower casing (14) and the securing ring (5) have matching pitches (20, 6) so that when the securing ring (5) is rotated via a toothed spindle (7) fitted off-center it is axially shifted. After the holder has been fitted on the rose, when the securing ring (5) is rotated, a partial thread (18) fitted thereto is rotated out of the longitudinal groove (11) into the transverse groove (12) and thus pressed by the simultaneous axial movement of the partial thread (18) against the limiting edge of the transverse groove (12) taking the form of a thread segment (13). Slight rotary movements of the spindle (7) thus produce considerable travel of the pressure of the support, peritting rapid secuing to fitting plates.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns a control switch and/or signaling unit with acollar or flange which has a cylindrical part, and with a holder.

Control switches and/or signaling units of this kind, which are mountedto a mounting hole of a fitting plate by means of a holder slid onto thecollar, are known (see Telemecanique catalog G01, April 1975, e.g. modelXBF-Z1). Here the holder has an opening with internal threads, and canbe screwed onto the cylindrical part of the collar which is equippedwith corresponding external threads. The holder also has a pressureplate, displaceable axially with respect to the cylindrical part, whichis pressed against the fitting plate to mount the collar. This is doneby means of a toothed ring which is rotatable by means of a shaft,mounted off-center, with corresponding teeth, and which is equipped witha helix segment. This rests at least partially on a further helixsegment of a counterelement. The ring is displaced upon rotation, inaccordance with the pitch of the helix segments, in the axial direction,carrying the pressure plate along. The actuator of the control switch isscrewed, from the front, onto a holder introduced from the back throughthe opening of the fitting plate. One-person fitting of the controlswitch is therefore not possible if the fitting plate is a larger frontpanel.

It is also known, for the mounting of control switches, to join them toa holder by means of a slide lock fastener (see DE 77 12 822.4). Hereagain, retention of the actuator during fitting is required because ofthe rotational entrainment effect when the holder is snapped into place.A further disadvantage is the cumbersome adaptation to the thickness ofthe fitting panel, which according to DIN standards can vary from 1 mmto 6 mm. Adaptation is accomplished, from the back, by means of twoscrews located opposite one another on the edge of the holder. The twoscrews are screwed in, in alternating steps, until they press againstthe fitting panel. Because of the single-point pressure that thisproduces, it is possible with thin front panels, made for example ofplastic, for an impression to be created or even for the fitting panelto be damaged. The same disadvantages also occur with control switcheshaving snap connections, in which a holder with elastic snap elements issnapped into place (see EP 03 30 956 A1). Here again, the actuator mustbe retained during fitting so that it is not pushed out by the holder asit is snapped into place. Single-person fitting is equally impossiblewith the ring nut mounting method (also known) for control switches.Here again, the actuation element must be held from the front so thering nut can be screwed on from the back for mounting purposes. Thinfront panels require a protracted screwing-on operation, for whichmoreover a special socket wrench is usually required.

In the case of fitting from the front with snap lugs (see DE 31 45 070),lugs which press against the front panel under spring pressure arereleased by pressure or twisting after the actuator is pushed on. Hereagain, however, adapting to different front panel thicknesses requiresconsiderable effort or is possible only to a limited degree.

Substantially improved control switch mounting is achieved by a holderaccording to Utility Model G 91 09 678.2. With this, the control switchand/or signaling unit can be quickly and simply fastened to avariable-thickness fitting plate by means of an opening present therein.This holder represents the most obvious prior art for the presentinvention, and will be described below for better understanding of theinvention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to create a control switchand/or signaling unit of the aforesaid type that can be quickly andeasily mounted to a variable-thickness fitting plate by means of anopening present therein.

The invention provides a control switch and/or signaling unit of theaforesaid type in which almost double the thickness of fitting platescan be covered, without additional parts, with the holder. This objectis achieved with a control switch and/or signaling unit that includescontrol switch and/or signaling unit with a collar comprising: acylindrical part having longitudinal groove, proceeding from which atransverse groove extends along its periphery; a holder having anopening adapted to the periphery of the cylindrical part; and includingan externally rotatable spindle having teeth, a correspondingly toothedsecured ring in engagement with said spindle; and a lower casingequipped with a first pressure surface; wherein narrow edge surfaces onboth sides of the securing ring are each equipped with a first helixelement; the lower casing has a second helix segment on its inner wallformed by the opening; the holder has an upper casing with a secondpressure surface; the upper casing being equipped, on its inner wallformed by the opening, with at least one fourth helix segment; with theholder in the assembled state, the securing ring slides upon rotation,with its first helix segments, along the second and fourth helix segmentof the lower casing and the upper casing, accompanied by axialdisplacement; the securing ring has on its inner wall formed by theopening a projection that, once the holder has been placed onto saidcylindrical part via the longitudinal groove, can be rotated by twistingthe securing ring into the transverse groove, accompanied by axialdisplacement with respect to the lower casing, until the first or secondpressure surface is pressed, by the force exerted by the projection on alimiting edge of the transverse groove, against the fitting plate.

The control switch and/or signaling unit specified in this fashion ischaracterized by an easily and economically manufacturable mountingapparatus. Once the collar with the actuator has been inserted from thefront of the fitting panel into the mounting hole in the fitting panelwith a miniature interference fit, so that it cannot fall out under itsown weight, the holder can be joined to the collar by sliding on withzero force. With this holder, a one-person fitting operation can be usedfor mounting. A further advantage of this holder is the fact that theas-removed state of the holder, i.e. the state after detachment of theholder, is the same as the state for fitting. An ordinary tool,specifically a screwdriver, is sufficient for fitting. By means ofreversibility and axially off-center arrangement of the partial thread,this signaling unit makes possible almost a doubling of the range offitting plate thicknesses that can be covered.

If the lower casing has, on its inner wall formed by the opening, acoupling element for engagement into the longitudinal groove, the holdercan then, because of the guidance provided by the coupling element inthe longitudinal groove, be easily slid onto the collar with thesecuring ring in the neutral position necessary for fitting.

An encapsulated version of the holder and a capability for easilydetaching it are achieved if the holder has an upper casing with theopening, and the latter is equipped on its inner wall formed by theopening with a third helix segment; and if there is provided on thesecuring ring a first helix segment that, for the purpose of detachingthe holder by backward rotation of the spindle, slides along the thirdhelix segment and thereby moves the securing ring axially backward.

If the projection is configured as a partial thread, and the limitingedge of the transverse groove facing away from the fitting plate as asecond thread segment, this results in an additional travel uponrotation of the securing ring, exceeding the travel effected by thefirst and second helix segment. As a result a large travel is achievedby even slight rotation of the spindle, which allows quick mounting.

An extraordinary improvement in the control switch and/or signaling unitis achieved by the fact that the holder has an upper casing with asecond pressure surface; that the upper casing is equipped, on its innerwall formed by the opening, with at least one fourth helix segment; thatthe securing ring has first helix segments on its narrow edge surfaceson both sides; and that with the holder in the assembled state, uponrotation of the securing ring the latter slides with its first helixsegments, accompanied by axial displacement, along the second and fourthhelix segment of the lower casing and the upper casing. With thisembodiment, reversibility and axially off-center arrangement of thepartial thread make possible almost a doubling of the range of fittingplate thicknesses that can be covered.

If the mutually contacting surfaces of the first, second, and fourthhelix segments are configured as a V-shaped fit, this increases thefriction, which allows a greater pitch for the helix segments whilehaving sufficient self-locking.

An embodiment in which the first, second, and fourth helix segments haveoverhanging sloping steps yields the advantage that after the 180-degreerewinding of the securing ring resulting from reversal, the rotarymotion for mounting purposes begins from a defined axial position. Thisprevents any accidental shift in the neutral position in which thecoupling element and the partial thread are aligned.

It is also advantageous, if a screw tip projects from the first and/orsecond pressure surface of the holder, that greater protection againsttwisting of the holder can be achieved thereby.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below withreference to the drawing figures described briefly below.

FIG. 1 shows a collar with front ring for mounting in an opening of afitting plate.

FIG. 2 shows the collar of FIG. 1 in the state as inserted in theopening of the fitting plate.

FIG. 3 shows a lower casing of a holder.

FIG. 4 shows a spindle.

FIG. 5 shows a securing ring.

FIG. 6 shows the lower casing, the securing ring, and the spindleaccording to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, in the assembled state.

FIG. 7 shows the upper casing of the holder.

FIG. 8 shows the upper casing of a reversible holder.

FIG. 9 shows the securing ring of a reversible holder of FIG. 8, insection.

FIG. 10 shows the lower casing with retention of the reversible holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts a collar 9 with a front ring 1 of a control switch andsignaling unit, which is to be mounted by means of a mounting hole 2 ofa fitting plate or front panel 3 according to FIG. 2. Collar 9 projectsout from the back of fitting plate 3. It is configured as a tubular partwith an outside diameter and equipped with at least one longitudinalgroove 11 lying in the axial direction of mounting hole 2. Extendingfrom the groove at the periphery of collar 9 is a transverse groove 12.The limiting edge of transverse groove 12 facing away from the fittingplate is inclined, and serves as a first thread segment 13.

The components depicted in the following figures together constitute aholder with an opening 15, which can be placed onto collar 9. FIG. 3shows lower casing 14 thereof with opening 15, the inside diameter ofwhich is matched to the outside diameter of collar 9. Lower housing 14has on the inner wall formed by its opening 15, in addition to acoupling element 16, two helix segments 17. These ascend at a pitch 20.A drilled hole 29 is provided off-center to receive a toothed spindle 7according to FIG. 4. FIG. 5 shows a securing ring 5 with teeth 8 on itsouter periphery which are matched to the teeth of spindle 7 according toFIG. 4 for meshing operation therewith. In a first exemplary embodimentaccording to FIG. 5, the top of securing ring 5 is flat. The underside,however, has two helix segments 28 with a pitch 6 that corresponds topitch 20 of helix segments 17 of lower casing 14. Securing ring 5 has,on its inner wall formed by opening 15, a projection in the form of apartial thread 18. A first thread segment 19 is located on the peripheryof securing ring 5, the helix segments 28 of which are each equippedwith a step 22 serving as a stop. FIG. 6 shows the components justdescribed in the assembled state, in which helix segments 28 and helixsegments 17 are in contact with one another and the top of securing ring5 forms the flat termination. Forming part of this unit is an added-onupper casing 23 according to FIG. 7. This has, on its inner wall formedby opening 15, helix segments 25 with a pitch 26. Also present on thisinner wall is a coupling element 16 which can be omitted in the specificembodiment in which coupling element 16 is provided on the inner wall oflower casing 14 according to FIG. 3.

The control switch is mounted onto fitting plate 3 with the followingsteps:

Collar 9 with front ring 1 of the control switch is inserted, from thefront, into mounting hole 2 of fitting plate 3 with a miniatureinterference fit 21 as in FIG. 2. This prevents collar 9 with front 1from falling out under its own weight. The holder is then pushed in azero-force manner onto collar 9 from the back of fitting plate 3, theholder being guided by coupling element 16 and partial thread 18 inlongitudinal groove 11. The holder is prevented from twisting by theengagement of coupling element 16 in longitudinal groove 11. For thispurpose, longitudinal groove 11 must extend out beyond transverse groove12 if coupling element 16 is provided in the inner wall of the lowercasing. During fitting, coupling element 16 and partial thread 18 arealigned in the axial direction of mounting hole 2. Since holding forcesare required only for the weight of the control switch, and can easilybe applied by ribs, bosses, elastomer, or the like, this allows"one-person assembly." The holder can be oriented as to angle before orduring tightening. The holder is tightened by a few right-hand turns ofspindle 7, located off-center, which can be operated with an ordinaryscrewdriver. The spindle turns securing ring 5--which acts on collar 9by means of partial thread 18 and oppositely oriented helix segment 28,and behind thread segment 13--via teeth 8, and also itself moves in theholder casing away from fitting plate 3 and thus presses the holder withits first pressure surface 4 against fitting plate 3.

The maximum possible travel is thus achieved with a minimum rotationangle. Rotational entrainment torque is absorbed by the coupling betweenthe control switch and the holder casing in the aforesaid longitudinalgroove 11, so there is absolutely no tendency to twist duringtightening. The correct neutral position of securing ring 5 required forfitting, and therefore the alignment of coupling element 16 with partialthread 18, are achieved by means of step 22, which pushes againstfurther stop 22 on lower casing 14, serving as a stop, as spindle 7 isturned to the left. Axial retraction of securing ring 5 upon removal ofthe holder is effected by second thread segment 19 of the securing ring,which engages with helix segment 25, with pitch 26, of upper casing 23.

The travel of the holder is produced by axial displacement of thesecuring ring, and thus also of its partial thread 18, as a result ofrotation, and also by the limiting edges of transverse groove 12,configured as thread segment 13, with which partial thread 18 engages.In a simplified embodiment a rectangular, straight projection isprovided instead of partial thread 18, and the limiting edge oftransverse groove 12 is not configured as a thread segment 18 but ratherextends in a straight line. This embodiment, however, yields a travelresulting only from the pitch of securing ring 5 in combination withlower casing 14.

The placement of thread segment 19 close to the edge of securing ring 5minimizes the overall height of the holder. The holder is manufactured,in easily assembled fashion, by successive vertical introduction of theindividual parts.

Fitting of the complete control unit is accomplished with the greatestpossible reliability, since the snug fit against the back of the frontpanel eliminates jamming or skewing of the holder as well as potentialincomplete snapping into place.

When the holder just described is used for the mounting of switches, thepitch of the thread segments and thus the range of fitting platethicknesses that can be covered is limited by the required self-lockingon the oblique surfaces.

In the control switch and/or signaling unit, the holder has an uppercasing 23 that is equipped with two helix segments 30 with pitch 20.These are completely identical to helix segments 17 of the correspondinglower casing 14 (see FIGS. 8 and 10). Matching them, securing ring 5 hasrespective helix segments 28 with pitch 6, as depicted in FIG. 9. Theoff-center arrangement of partial thread 18 on securing ring 5 resultsin a rotating holder with which a greater fitting plate thickness can becovered. Depending on the thickness of fitting plate 3, the holder makescontact by means of pressure surface 4 of lower casing 14 or, with theholder reversed, by means of a second pressure surface 31 of uppercasing 23 (see FIG. 8).

Overhanging sloping steps 22 of helix segments 17, 28, 30 on securingring 5 and on upper casing 23 and on lower casing 14 make it possible,after the 180-degree rewinding of securing ring 5 resulting fromreversal, to begin the turning motion for mounting from a defined axialposition. This prevents any accidental shift in the neutral position inwhich coupling element 16 and partial thread 18 are aligned.

Additional protection against twisting of the holder is achieved bymeans of two screw tips 24, mounted in opposite directions, whichproject slightly from pressure surfaces 4, 31 of lower casing 14 andupper casing 23, as indicated for example in FIG. 8, and presspositively into the back of fitting plate 3.

As a result of the improved mounting apparatus, the control switchdescribed above can be quickly and reliably mounted to a fitting plateby a single person.

What is claimed is:
 1. A panel-mounted unit for mounting in a mountinghole of a fitting plate and having a collar, comprising:a) a cylindricalpart having a longitudinal groove, proceeding from which a transversegroove extends along its periphery; and b) a holder having an opening,the cylindrical part being insertable into the opening of the holder,the holder includingi) an externally rotatable spindle having teeth, ii)a correspondingly toothed securing ring in engagement with said spindle,and iii) a lower casing having a first pressure surface for coupling tothe fitting plate; c) wherein, the narrow edge surfaces on both sides ofthe securing ring are each equipped with a first helix segment; d) thelower casing has a second helix segment on its inner wall formed by theopening; e) the holder has an upper casing which includes a secondpressure surface; f) the upper casing being equipped, on its inner wallformed by the opening, with at least one third helix segment; g) withthe holder in the assembled state, the securing ring slides uponrotation, with its first helix segments, along the second and thirdhelix segment of the lower casing and the upper casing, accompanied byaxial displacement; h) the securing ring has on its inner wall formed bythe opening a projection that, once the holder has been placed onto saidcylindrical part via the longitudinal groove, can be rotated by twistingthe securing ring into the transverse groove, accompanied by axialdisplacement with respect to the lower casing, until the first or secondpressure surface is pressed against the fitting plate, by the forceexerted by the projection on a limiting edge of the transverse groove.2. The panel-mounted unit of claim 1, wherein said projection is locatedoff-center between the axially opposite helix segments.
 3. Thepanel-mounted unit of claim 1, wherein mutually contacting surfaces ofthe first, second, and third helix segments are configured as a V-shapedfit.
 4. The panel-mounted unit of claim 2, wherein mutually contactingsurfaces of the first, second, and third helix segments are configuredas a V-shaped fit.
 5. The panel-mounted unit of claim 1, wherein saidfirst, second, and third helix segments have overhanging sloping steps.6. The panel-mounted unit of claim 2, wherein said first second, andthird helix segments have overhanging sloping steps.
 7. Thepanel-mounted unit of claim 3, wherein said first, second, and thirdhelix segments have overhanging sloping steps.
 8. The panel-mounted unitof claim 4, wherein said first, second, and third helix segments haveoverhanging sloping steps.
 9. The panel-mounted unit of claim 1, whereina screw tip projects from at least one of the first pressure surface andthe second pressure surface.
 10. The panel-mounted unit of claim 2,wherein a screw tip projects from at least one of the first pressuresurface and the second pressure surface.
 11. The panel-mounted unit ofclaim 3, wherein a screw tip projects from at least one of the firstpressure surface and the second pressure surface.
 12. The panel-mountedunit of claim 4, wherein a screw tip projects from at least one of thefirst pressure surface and the second pressure surface.
 13. Thepanel-mounted unit of claim 5, wherein a screw tip projects from atleast one of the first pressure surface and the second pressure surface.14. The panel-mounted unit of claim 6, wherein a screw tip projects fromat least one of the first pressure surface and the second pressuresurface.
 15. The panel-mounted unit of claim 7, wherein a screw tipprojects from at least one of the first pressure surface and the secondpressure surface.
 16. The panel-mounted unit of claim 8, wherein a screwtip projects from at least one of the first pressure surface and thesecond pressure surface.